77

69

77.1

79.3

79.5

.536

.556

18.4%

3.2%

21.6%

-13.9%

-7.5%

84

62

82.1

78.7

79.5

.555

.575

11.0%

78.9%

89.9%

0.9%

14.1%

The A's were off yesterday so A.J. Griffin didn't have the opportunity to walk anyone. Not that he would have taken you up on it anyway.

10

88

59

82.3

80.1

77.4

.557

.538

100.0%

0.0%

100.0%

0.0%

0.0%

If Joey Votto's .467 on-base percentage remains the leader in baseball it would mark the third consecutive season he's led baseball in that category.

11

80

66

80.9

77.7

76.8

.540

.560

81.6%

0.7%

82.3%

12.8%

9.8%

Gordon Beckham enjoyed his third two-walk game of the season last night. For a man with 35 walks in 535 plate appearances, that's called bunching.

12

72

74

76.2

76.7

76.5

.516

.496

0.0%

1.6%

1.6%

-0.2%

0.7%

The Diamondbacks have a better run differential than... well, nobody very good. Never mind.

13

74

74

73.3

76.1

75.7

.505

.485

0.0%

0.6%

0.6%

0.3%

0.1%

Cliff Lee struck out 10 against one walk while allowing a single run in eight innings. When the Phillies gave him a gajillion dollars this is probably what they had in mind. Now they're just three and a half out of a Wild Card spot.

14

84

63

78.5

76.4

75.3

.534

.514

99.7%

0.2%

99.8%

-0.1%

2.3%

Tim Lincecum's strikeout rate and walk rate have both almost doubled in September compared to August. What does this mean? Small samples can be weird.

15

67

81

72.1

74.5

74.7

.487

.507

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

The Red Sox play Baltimore six times over their last 14 games so if you're the jealous, angry vengeful type and want to get back at those poor deprived souls in Maryland for the destruction they inflicted upon your team last September, this would be your chance.

16

74

72

77.2

77.3

74.5

.519

.499

0.0%

4.4%

4.4%

-0.3%

3.7%

The Brewers lead baseball in both sacrifice bunts and getting hit by the pitch. There must be a connection there somewhere.

17

76

71

75.4

74.0

74.1

.509

.489

0.3%

13.8%

14.1%

0.5%

-8.3%

An eight-game deficit behind the Giants with 15 games to go. That sounds insurmountable. Unless the Dodgers can find a way to add $250 million in payroll by the end of the week it probably is.

18

66

81

67.8

70.9

73.0

.472

.453

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

In two seasons with the Red Sox Jason bay posted a .534 slugging percentage. This season with the Mets, Bay has a .520 OPS.

19

83

64

72.0

70.0

72.0

.505

.525

22.1%

51.6%

73.7%

12.9%

44.8%

If the Orioles can beat Seattle 14-0 today, a feat that wouldn't be out of line considering last night's 10-4 win, they'd finally reach the all-important even run differential. Playoffs-schmlayoffs.

20

74

72

72.6

73.2

70.9

.498

.478

0.0%

3.6%

3.6%

0.8%

-2.8%

The Pirates have been caught stealing the second most in all of baseball. The Pirates are not very good pirates.

21

70

78

70.0

67.4

69.1

.467

.487

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

The Mariners have 14 games to catch the A's, currently .003 points ahead, or else they'll suffer the enduring indignity of finishing last in team batting average.

22

71

76

69.3

69.8

68.8

.474

.455

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Poor Padres. Having to play in Petco Park is like playing on a 120-yard football field, or having your goal in hockey shrunk by a foot.

23

65

83

63.8

66.4

67.3

.444

.424

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

I'm already looking forward to the firesale the Marlins will have to hold next July after they sign Josh Hamilton.

24

66

79

68.7

64.4

66.1

.457

.477

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

Colby Rasmus's stance has got so open it has closed. Standing with his back to the pitcher could be contributing to his recent struggles at the plate.

25

66

80

68.4

65.0

64.9

.453

.473

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

How bad has the Royals' starting staff been? Their top two pitchers by PWARP are relievers.

26

60

87

61.6

63.9

63.8

.424

.444

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

The Twins are two games out of the second pick in the draft. Because you gotta have goals.

27

61

86

55.4

60.1

61.2

.404

.424

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

About 20 years ago, the Indians' old stadium was pushed into Lake Erie to form a reef for fish. If the Indians want to continue the tradition with this stadium and team I don't know that they'd get much argument from the fans.

28

58

88

63.4

59.8

59.7

.413

.393

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

At this point the entire Rockies organization is a traffic cone on the side of the highway that is the National League West.

29

58

89

61.2

57.4

57.6

.398

.379

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

It is very hard to win a baseball game with just two hits, but the Cubs... well, no, actually. They didn't.

30

48

99

51.9

51.8

51.8

.346

.328

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

"You may be last in baseball in run scoring, but you're only third-to-last in run prevention. And you're very handsome." -- Astros' Grandma

The creativity in this column is INCREDIBLE. If I had to choose ONE item to read each day for the rest of my life, this would be it. It is funny and informative - I cannot imagine better writing. Matt - thank YOU!